NHL Playoffs 2015: TV Schedule, Odds, Predictions for Friday's Stanley Cup Games

The Stanley Cup is a distant dream that gets a little more real with each passing round.

It is a far-off prize hovering over the proceedings in the first round, but it becomes more tangible in the second. That is where the Tampa Bay Lightning, Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Blackhawks and Minnesota Wild find themselves Friday with a pair of Game 1s on deck. 

Winning the first game of a seven-game series sets the tone for the rest of the matchup. The home team proves why it earned home-ice advantage throughout the season, or the road team steals a game and shifts the entire balance of the series from the start. Either outcome is meaningful.

Here is a look at Friday’s schedule and broadcast information before digging into predictions for both clashes. Odds are courtesy of Odds Shark as of Thursday at 4 p.m. ET.

Matchup	Time (ET)	TV	Live Stream	Odds
Tampa Bay Lightning at Montreal Canadiens	7 p.m.	NBC Sports Network	NBC Sports Live Extra	Montreal -1.5
Minnesota Wild at Chicago Blackhawks	9:30 p.m.	NBC Sports Network	NBC Sports Live Extra	Chicago -1.5

Previews and Predictions

Tampa Bay Lightning at Montreal Canadiens

Mark Humphrey/Associated Press

We’ve seen this movie before.

The Montreal Canadiens swept Tampa Bay in the playoffs last season behind a powerful offensive attack that averaged four goals per game. There is one important caveat from that series—Tampa Bay goalie Ben Bishop did not play because of injury.

All Bishop did this season was post a perfect 5-0 record against the Canadiens, three of which came in Montreal. He outdueled Hart Trophy finalist Carey Price all five times.

Price was brilliant for the majority of the season, but he posted an 0-4-1 record against the Lightning with a 3.47 goals-against average.  Price tallied a sparkling 1.96 GAA in games not involving the Lightning. Part of the problem for Price against Tampa Bay was the presence of Steven Stamkos, who scored five goals and seven points in those five contests.

Despite his dominance against Price and his status as one of the best offensive players in the league, Stamkos did not score a goal in the first round against the Detroit Red Wings. He is probably thrilled to face a team that he dominated during the regular season.

The Lightning survived Stamkos’ scoring slump thanks largely to Tyler Johnson, who scored six goals against the Red Wings. It is no wonder that the Lightning led the league in goals per game during the regular season given that others stepped up when the marquee goal scorer struggled.

Price must find a way to stymie both dangerous threats throughout the course of a potentially long series, which is no easy task.

Chris O'Meara/Associated Press

One thing to watch on the other end in this series is Montreal’s power play, which was a disappointing 23rd in the league in percentage this year at 16.5. The Canadiens only scored one goal in 20 power-play chances in the first round of the playoffs.

John Kreiser and Mike Morreale of NHL.com pointed out the importance of special teams:

"

CANADIENS WILL WIN IF ... They can find a way to spark their power play. It is possible to win with a struggling power play (see Boston in its run to the Stanley Cup in 2011), but it is never easy. Montreal does not score enough goals at even strength to survive a prolonged drought on the man-advantage. Yes, Price is a fine insurance policy, but he needs some goals to work with, and that is where the power play needs to be helpful.

"

Price is one of the best goalies in the game, but there is a reason he struggled with the Lightning. This is a dynamic offense that has a red-hot threat in Johnson and a proven superstar in Stamkos. What’s more, there is no evidence that the Canadiens are capable of matching Tampa Bay’s firepower with those struggling special teams. 

Look for the Lightning to figure out Price once again and set the tone for the rest of the series on the road. 

Prediction: Lightning 4, Canadiens 2

Minnesota Wild at Chicago Blackhawks

Perhaps the third time’s a charm for the Minnesota Wild.

The Blackhawks knocked the Wild out of the 2013 playoffs and the 2014 playoffs and want to play the role of the thorn in Minnesota’s side once again. It would be easy to point to the experienced Blackhawks with home-ice advantage and recent history on their side as the favorites and eventual winners in this series, but Minnesota has been one of the best teams in the league since acquiring goaltender Devan Dubnyk.

The defense played better with Dubnyk in net, and the offense did its part behind Zach Parise. The resurgence culminated with an impressive victory over the St. Louis Blues in the first round that set up another shot at the Blackhawks.

Ann Heisenfelt/Associated Press

Chicago knows something about adding pieces to the lineup, although this postseason it came in the form of its own superstar, Patrick Kane. Kane returned from a broken collarbone to team up with offensive force Jonathan Toews to knock out the Nashville Predators in six games. Toews has eight points in the playoffs.

Stopping Chicago’s firepower with Kane, Toews and Patrick Sharp, among others, is the key for the Wild. Consistently beating defenders Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook will not be easy for Minnesota, so it cannot afford to let the Blackhawks pepper the net with quality shots.

Chicago also seemed to settle an uncertain goalie situation in its Game 6 win over the Predators. Typical starter Corey Crawford was pulled in Game 1 in favor of Scott Darling, but Crawford returned in Game 6 after Darling allowed three early goals. Crawford shut the door for the rest of the game and should have plenty of confidence heading into this series.

Mark Humphrey/Associated Press

He will need it to stop Minnesota’s power play that scored four times against the Blues. The Blackhawks, in turn, allowed six power-play goals against the Predators and must improve their special teams effort if they want to win this series and eventually capture the Cup.

While Minnesota will challenge the Blackhawks throughout the best-of-seven showdown, it is difficult to envision an upset in the first contest. The Blackhawks are an astounding 22-4 in their last 26 home playoff games and beat the Wild in each of their last six postseason contests in the United Center.

Parise discussed his team’s struggles in Chicago, per The Associated Press, via ESPN.com: "It's not a secret, we haven't had any success there in the playoffs the last couple of years. It is a hard building. But like we've said the last little while and the last round, we've been playing well on the road. That's a good sign for us."

The Wild won two games at St. Louis in the first round, but the recent postseason history between these two teams in Chicago is difficult to ignore until proven otherwise. Throw in the offensive firepower the Blackhawks bring to the table, and they will emerge victorious in Game 1.

Prediction: Blackhawks 3, Wild 1

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